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1、泉 州 师 范 学 院 毕 业 论 文 Severus Snape: A Byronic Figure in Harry Potter 哈利波特中的拜伦式英雄:西弗勒斯斯内普 外国语 学 院 专 业 级 班学生姓名 学 号 指导教师 职 称 完成日期 Abstract: At the end of the twentieth century, a storm called “Potter-mania” swept across the world with the publication of a series of books titled Harry Potter. It is beyon
2、d imagination that over 450 million copies have been sold worldwide and translated into 67 languages. Potter-mania has expanded to become a significant cultural phenomenon.In the story, Harry Potter is the “everyman” hero, while Severus Snape, Potters Potions Professor, displays many traits of the t
3、raditional anti-hero and appears to be less attractive and agreeable. After the release of the final book of the series Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, however, Snape turns out to be a more complex character of significant importance, whose characteristics are worth analyzing. This thesis ther
4、efore intends to analyze Snape in the light of Byronic heroism, and aims to reach the conclusion that he is more of a Byronic hero than a villain. Keywords: Harry Potter; Severus Snape; Byronic Hero 【摘要】 二十世纪末，随着一套名为哈利波特的小说的流行，世界掀起了一阵“波特旋风”，这套小说在世界范围内的总销量达到4.5亿本，被翻译成67种语言。“波特旋风”已经成为了一种文化现象。故事中的主人公哈利
5、波特是“平民英雄”，而他的魔药课教授西弗勒斯斯内普则体现了传统反派人物所应有的特征，缺乏吸引力且惹人讨厌。然而，在这部系列小说的最后一部哈利波特与死亡圣器面世之后，人们发现斯内普原来是一个十分重要，性格复杂的角色，他的性格特征值得探讨。本文意在用拜伦式英雄主义的观点来分析斯内普，论证他并不是单纯的反派人物，而是一个亦正亦邪的拜伦式英雄。【关键词】 哈利波特； 西弗勒斯斯内普； 拜伦式英雄ContentsIntroduction11. Literature Review11.1 On Harry Potter11.1.1 “Potter-mania”11.1.2 J.K. Rowling the
6、 Author of the Novel21.1.3 The Plot of the Work21.2 On Byronic Heroism31.2.1 Definition of Byronic Hero31.2.2 Characteristics of Byronic Hero31.2.3 Byronic Figures in Literature42. The Byronic Hero Severus Snape42.1 Characteristics of Severus Snape42.1.1 Outward Appearance42.1.2 Personality42.2 The
7、Root of Snape Being a Byronic Hero72.2.1 Family Background72.2.2 Psychological Cause72.2.3 Romance Factor73. Byronic Heroism of Snape Embodied in Harry Potter83.1 Dark Sides of Severus Snape83.1.1 Power Pursuer83.1.2 Partial Professor in Hogwarts83.2 Bright Sides of Severus Snape93.2.1 “Always” Love
8、 for Lily Evans93.2.2 Dumbledores Man: A Double Agent103.2.3 Bad Attitude, Good Actions113.2.4 Sacrifice of his LifeHeroic Ending11Conclusion12Bibliography13IntroductionAt the end of the twentieth century, there were few people in the English-speaking world who had never heard of a boy named Harry P
9、otter. During the past decades, 450 million copies of the total seven Harry Potter books have been sold. There are translated versions in 67 languages, from Hindi to Ancient Greek. The first Harry Potter book-Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone-was published in June 26th, 1997. Since then “Harry
10、 Potter Mania” swept the whole world almost over night. They cast spells not only on children, but also on adults, “a growing number of the adults find these books irresistible”.（刘瑶 2007:1） To the publishing industry, Harry Potter wrote a saga of salvation. Potter-mania has expanded to become a sign
11、ificant cultural phenomenon. A lot of research work about the novels appears from a broad range of perspective within literature, religion, education, psychology, sociology, and even the media communication, etc. While Harry Potter is the “everyman hero” in the story, Snape tends to appear as an ant
12、i-hero, who is dark, serious, intelligent, mean, selfish, and imperious. With the development of the story, Snapes characteristics are more and more complex. He is on the good side working as a double agent for Dumbledore, and pretends to be a loyal servant to the Dark Lord Voldemort( Harrys archene
13、my), but in the end he kills Dumbledore instead before Harrys eyes and manifests his dark side completely. Just when everyone thinks that he betrays the trust of all, his death reveals a lot more than what people believe. This thesis intends to explore the characters of Severus Snape in the light of
14、 Byronic Heroism. To make a thorough research on his complex characters, firstly, the background information is needed, then the definition of Byronic Heroism is provided, Snapes characteristics are analyzed in the following chapters and the major part of this thesis focuses on displaying Snapes cha
15、racter through detailed contents, therefore, to conclude that Snape is not merely a role of traditional villain but a Byronic hero.1. Literature ReviewTo a better understanding of the thesis, the background information is needed.1.1 On Harry Potter 1.1.1 “Potter-mania”Pottermania is an informal term
16、 first used around 1999 describing the craze Harry Potter fans have had over the series. Fans held midnight parties to celebrate the release of the final four books at bookstores which stayed open on the night leading into the date of the release. In 2005, Entertainment Weekly listed the midnight re
17、lease of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as one of “Entertainments Top Moments” of the previous 25 years. When the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released in the UK, the queues outside the bookstore were said to be “massive”. The series has come with its share of criticism
18、as well. Allegations of witchcraft and the Occult found in the text, and legal disputes, one doctor coined the term “Hogwarts headache” in a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine shortly after the release of Order of the Phoenix, the longest book in the series, at 766 pages in the UK edition
19、, 870 pages in the US edition, and over 250,000 words. He described it as a mild condition, a tension headache possibly accompanied by neck or wrist pains, caused by unhealthily long reading sessions of Harry Potter. The “symptoms” resolve themselves within days of finishing the book. His prescripti
20、on of taking reading breaks was rejected by two of the patients on which he discovered this headache. Moreover, its domino effects almost have magic influences over every circle of the merchandising from films to wizard robes. This prevailing hurricane even won its own name “Harry Potter Mania”(刘瑶 2
21、007:2）, short as “Potter-mania”. Also this huge success has made J.K. Rowling, “the mother of Harry Potter”, the first person to ever become a billionaire by writhing books. 1.1.2 J.K. Rowling the Author of the NovelBackground knowledge on Rowling is important in understanding the Potter-mania as we
22、ll as the characters in Harry Potter, especially since many of the characters and scenes share some of the same traits as the author herself. Joanne K. Rowling was born on July 31, 1965 in Bristol England, and so it is natural for the stories to take place in the surrounding area. Rowling describes
23、herself as being petite, with busy red hair, freckles, and glasses; much like her character Hermione Granger. Rowlings love for animals can be seen in her gamekeeper character, Hagrid (Kirk 2003:12-13). The love of Harrys mother and the loss of his parents are the crux of the plot, the emotional cen
24、ter. The death of Rowlings own mother was an artistic outlet which drove her to continue writing (Kirk 2003:53). Also, the character of Severus Snape is a real person that J.K. Rowling has encountered in her early life, he taught her chemistry and employed her mother as an assistant at Wyedean Schoo
25、l near Chepstow.Rowlings own mythical journey is not much different than that of her fictional characters: loss, rejection, success; and “the journey continues for both her and her characters”. (Bailey 2006:16)1.1.3 The Plot of the WorkThe books chronicle the adventures of a wizard, Harry Potter and
26、 his friends Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The main story are concerns Harrys quest to overcome the Dark wizard Lord Voldemort, whose aims are to become immortal, to conquer the wizarding world, subjugate Muggles (non-mag
27、ical people), and destroy all those who stand in his way, especially Harry Potter. Harry Potter is an orphan raised by Dursley family who make him sleep in the storage space beneath the stairs. He does not know his parents were wizards and he is also in fact a powerful wizard until he is in his elev
28、enth birthday when Rebeus Hagrid, the caretaker of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry visits him. Harrys adventure begins when he starts to attend the school and becomes a close friend of two other young magicians, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. He is gradually building a confrontation wi
29、th the evil wizard who killed his parents. All in all the Harry Potter series is chronicling the life of the young, orphaned wizard Harry. The series is beginning when Harry is eleven and following him through adolescence and young adulthood until seventeen.Severus Snape is Harry Potters Potions Pro
30、fessor in Hogwarts, whom Harry has the most problem with: “At the start-of-term banquet, Harry had gotten the idea that Professor Snape disliked him. By the end of the first Potions lesson, he knew hed been wrong. Snape didnt dislike Harry-he hated him.”(Rowing 1997:136) Snape holds a grudge against
31、 Harry because James Potter, Harrys father, used to make fun of Snape when they were students in Hogwarts, and most importantly, they rivaled each other in love, and James Potter married Lily Evans, the woman Snape loves all his life. Snapes love for Lily underlies his decision to help keep Harry al
32、ive in the pact reached with Dumbledore, and plays double agent for him throughout the story.1.2 On Byronic Heroism1.2.1 Definition of Byronic HeroThe Byronic hero is an idealized but flawed character exemplified in the life and writings of English Romantic poet Lord Byron. It was characterized by L
33、ady Caroline Lamb, later a lover of Byrons, as being “mad, bad, and dangerous to know” (Gross 2001:148). The Byronic hero first appears in Byrons semi-autobiographical epic narrative poem Childe Harolds Pilgrimage (18121818).1.2.2 Characteristics of Byronic HeroA Byronic hero exhibits several charac
34、teristic traits, and in many ways he can be considered a rebel. The Byronic hero does not possess “heroic virtue” in the usual sense; instead, he has many dark qualities. With regard to his intellectual capacity, self-respect, and hypersensitivity, the Byronic hero is “larger than life,” and “with t
35、he loss of his titanic passions, his pride, and his certainty of self-identity, he loses also his status as a traditional hero” (Thorslev 1962:187).Often the Byronic hero is moody by nature or passionate about a particular issue. He also has emotional and intellectual capacities, which are superior
36、to the average man. These heightened abilities force the Byronic hero to be arrogant, confident, abnormally sensitive, and extremely conscious of himself. Sometimes, this is to the point of nihilism resulting in his rebellion against life itself (Thorslev 1962:197). In one form or another, he reject
37、s the values and moral codes of society and because of this he is often unrepentant by societys standards. Often the Byronic hero is characterized by a guilty memory of some unnamed sexual crime. Due to these characteristics, the Byronic hero is often a figure of repulsion, as well as fascination.Th
38、erefore, in conclusion the Byronic hero typically exhibits several of the following traits:Arrogant;Cunning and able to adapt;Cynical;Disrespectful of rank and privilege;Emotionally conflicted, bipolar, or moody;Having distaste for social institutions and norms;Having a troubled past or suffering fr
39、om an unnamed crime;Intelligent and perceptive;Jaded, world-weary;Mysterious, magnetic and charismatic;Seductive and sexually attractive;Self-critical and introspective;Self-destructive;Socially and sexually dominant;Sophisticated and educated;Struggling with integrity;Treated as an exile, outcast,
40、or outlaw, etc. (Thorslov 1962)From above descriptions, Severus Snapes characters satisfy most of the definitions. In the following chapters, this question will be fully discussed.1.2.3 Byronic Figures in LiteratureAfter Childe Harolds Pilgrimage, the Byronic hero made an appearance in many of Byron
41、s other works, including his series of poems on Oriental themes: The Giaour (1813), The Corsair (1814) and Lara (1814); and his closet play Manfred (1817).Byrons influence was manifested by many authors and artists of the Romantic Movement and by writers of Gothic fiction during the 19th century. Lo
42、rd Byron was the model for the title character of Glenarvon (1816) by Byrons erstwhile lover Lady Caroline Lamb and for Lord Ruthven in The Vampyre (1819) by Byrons personal physician, Polidori. Captain Wentworth in Persuasion by Jane Austen (1818), Claude Frollo from Victor Hugos The Hunchback of N
43、otre Dame (1831), Heathcliff from Emily Bronts Wuthering Heights, Edmond Dantes from Alexandre Dumas The Count of Monte Cristo (1844), Rochester from Charlotte Bronts Jane Eyre (1847), Dorian Gray from The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890) by Oscar Wilde, and James Steerforth from Charles Dickenss David
44、 Copperfield (18491850) are other later 19th-century examples of Byronic heroes.The Byronic hero is also featured in many contemporary novels, and it is clear that Lord Byrons work continues to influence modern literature as the precursor of a commonly encountered type of antihero. The lead characte
45、r, Stephen Dedalus, of James Joyces A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (19141916) is one of the most famous literary heroes of this genre. Erik, the Phantom from Gaston Lerouxs Phantom of the Opera (19091910) is another well-known example from the early twentieth century.2. The Byronic Hero Sev
46、erus Snape2.1 Characteristics of Severus SnapeIn the first novel of the series, he is hostile towards Harry and is built up to be the primary antagonist until the final chapters. As the series progresses, Snapes character becomes more layered and complex. Over the course of the series, Snapes portra
47、yal evolves from that of a malicious and partisan teacher to that of a pivotal character of considerable complexity and moral ambiguity. His name: “Severus” means “strict” in Latin; it reflects his character of seriousness and sharpness. Also, this name reminds us with “snake” and “serpent”(钱文文，沈婷婷
48、2010:52）, indicating his dark sides. However, he looks like his name, but in fact is a brave man inside.2.1.1 Outward AppearanceFrom the beginning of the first novel: Harry Potter and the Sorcerers stone (1997), Snape is described as “a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose and sallow skin“(Rowling 1997:126). He has shoulder-length, greasy black hair which frames his face, and
